1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of automotive accessories, and more particularly to a novel wheel assembly that employs interchangeable decorative members which remain or appear static as the wheel rotates.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the past, the conventional aluminum wheel design has employed elaborate xe2x80x9ccenterxe2x80x9d decorations and designs which require removal of substantial material from the wheel itself in order to create the design. The most limiting factor to the creative expression or enhancement of the xe2x80x9ccenterxe2x80x9d of the wheel is the direct effect the design has on the strength of the wheel due to the metal removal necessary to create the design. Therefore, problems and difficulties have been encountered with employing conventional wheel design, which stem largely from the fact that the design enhancement is greatly limited due to the required removal of wheel material which then greatly weakens the strength of the wheel. Also, wheel center design is generally unchangeable and requires the placement of new wheels with different designs to achieve design change.
Furthermore, prior centers for wheel visual enhancement are an integral non-removable strength requiring structures fixly secured to the wheel so as to rotate with the wheel as the vehicle mounting the wheels moves along a roadway. Thus, the variety of design and decorative options are greatly limited. For example, any design center enhanced by static viewing cannot be read or understood as a wheel rotates since such indicia becomes blurred. A decorative member or cover fix to a wheel is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,972.
Therefore, a long-standing need has existed to provide a novel wheel design member or decorative member arrangement which will permit a variety of design configurations to be placed in the central area of the wheel and which may appear to be or is stationary while the wheel rotates. Strength of the wheel will not be adversely affected and interchange ability of different designs should be accommodated.
Accordingly, the above problems and difficulties are avoided by the present invention which provides a wheel assembly that includes a decorative member incorporating a given design and which is not a load-bearing member and, therefore, creative expression is unlimited. In one form, the decorative member is mounted on the outer race of a bearing with an inner race mounted on an attachment means such as a threaded shank carried on a securement cap. The cap includes an outwardly projecting flange having a shoulder which bears against one side of the bearing inner race when the threaded shank is inserted through the inner race. The opposite side of the inner race bears against a shoulder of a coupler or base having an internally threaded bore which receives the threaded shank and as the cap is tightened, a clamping action secures the decorative member via a bearing in position between the respective shoulders. The coupler may include an enlarged flange that bears against a fixed decorative cover plate. The coupler, in one form, includes a threaded stud detachably engageable with internal threads of a mating threaded bore in a wheel hub. The decorative member rotates with the wheel since it is secured to a wheel hub fixedly attached to the wheel and the hub. A securement fastener means holds the collar to the hub while a retention fastener means connects the coupler or base with the cap shank.
A wheel collar, for example, is disclosed in more detail, as well as its attachment to the wheel, in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,972.
In another embodiment, attachment means such as the coupler joining the cap and the decorative member with the wheel may be a base to which the cap is attached with the bearing movably supporting the decorative member therebetween and the base having several legs radiating outwardly to terminate in pads for fastener connection to mounting plates carried on the cover plate or the wheel itself.
The inventive concept incorporates a wheel installation or mounting assembly permitting a movably mounted decorative member on a rotatable hub to remain static while the wheel is turning as a vehicle travels along a roadway. A fixed or stationary decorative member may be used separately or simultaneously in conjunction with the movably mounted decorative member.
Therefore, it is among the primary objects of the present invention to provide a novel wheel having at least one decorative member having a design center which is not subjected to loads and stresses normally encountered during road conditions.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel decorative member and mounting assembly which can be attached to a conventional wheel and which allows the wheel to rotate while the decorative member remains static or stationary.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel decorative wheel member mounting assembly which will permit quick interchangability of the member.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a novel wheel which has a mounting for a pair of decorative members, permitting interchangability of either member and which provides for at least one decorative member of the pair to be static while the wheel turns while the other decorative member is fixed to the wheel and rotates therewith.
A further object resides in providing a wheel having a mounting assembly for a pair of decorative members, wherein one member rotates with the wheel while the other remains in a static or stationary orientation as the wheel turns.